


Blossoming

by pepsiisokay



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Identity Reveal, Language of Flowers, ML Secret Santa, Multi, OT3, Podfic Welcome, Polyamory, Pre-OT3, and are kind of stupid about it, area teens fall in love, but I got very overwhelmed by all the different meanings, for kagami to reference, i made up an anime, just assume all the flowers mean love, nino and chloe are there too I guess but for like. A second., so it's very vague, the flower symbolism thing is like There, they're super dorky in this one folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29893659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pepsiisokay/pseuds/pepsiisokay
Summary: It starts with a bouquet. It ends with one too.A series of moments in which Kagami, Adrien, and Marinette realize they might just be perfect for each other.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 15
Kudos: 58





	Blossoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [queerymiracle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/queerymiracle/gifts).



> My (belated) ML Secret Santa gift for @queerymiracle on tumblr.  
> I don't know anything about flower symbolism, so keep that in mind.  
> Hope y'all enjoy!

K A G A M I 

It must have started on a Tuesday. Kagami remembered this, because Ladybug had kidnapped her that day on her way to fencing practice to fight an akuma, and Kagami had fencing practice on Tuesday. 

The akuma in question wasn’t particularly special. Some college student who got his heart stomped on. There had been four nearly identical akumas that month alone. 

Still, Ryuko took every akuma seriously. 

Usually. 

She had just been thrown into a wall when she spotted them. 

In the mad dash to get away from the madman in bright pink, it seemed someone had dropped a bouquet on the sidewalk. They were a little crumpled… but… 

Ryuko’s mind stayed on the flowers for the remainder of the battle. 

“Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug cried, throwing her polka-dotted taxidermied deer into the air. 

“That was awesome, m’lady!” Chat yelled, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

Ladybug laughed. 

“You say that every time.” 

She turned to Ryuko, who was fidgeting restlessly. 

“You did very well in this battle-” 

“One second!” Ryuko called, dashing down the alley. 

Scooping up the bouquet, now full of life, she sprinted back and shoved them into Ladybug’s hands. 

“Here,” she said, and smiled. 

“O-oh,” Ladybug stammered, “Are these for me?” 

Ryuko nodded. 

“Thank you,” Ladybug said, and then, “Why?” 

“I…” Ryuko didn’t know. Still, her mouth opened, and without her permission formed the words, “You look very pretty today.” 

“That’s my line!” Chat Noir called from outside of the ally. 

Ryuko opened her mouth again, but no words came out. Blushing and not sure why, she quickly took off her choker and gave it to Ladybug, already turning to leave. 

Then it happened again. And again and again. Picking a rose for Adrien as they walked together. Buying a bouquet on her way to school and thinking of Marinette. Tucking a dandelion chain into Ladybug’s hair. She did it unthinkingly, almost instinctively. 

It came to a head on a Wednesday. Kagami remembered it was a Wednesday, because on Wednesday’s she tutored her classmate Mark, and she was picked up off the street outside of Mark’s house. 

“What’s the akuma?” she asked, squirming into a more comfortable position in Ladybug’s arms. 

Ladybug blushed, the first sign that the evening was not going to go as usual. Ladybug didn’t blush, or at least not when talking about akumas. She was cool and collected in the midst of battle and strategizing, which meant that what she was about to say was neither. 

“No akuma,” she mumbled, “I just wanted to… I wanted to do this thing for you, because… I mean, well…” 

Ladybug trailed off and didn’t explain herself further, face not unlike a fire truck or some other incredibly red thing. 

Kagami weighed her options and decided not to ask again. She would surely find out soon enough. Instead she admired the color of Ladybug’s cheeks, which seemed, impossibly, to grow even brighter. 

Ladybug’s heels skidded against the concrete of the roof as they landed. 

“Here,” Ladybug said shortly, avoiding Kagami’s eyes as she set her down. 

Kagami turned to find… well. She wasn’t sure what it was. 

Sitting on the center of the roof was a collection of flowers unlike any Kagami had seen before. Not that they were some unknown species, but they were arranged in the shape of a heart. Ladybug had to have bought out an entire flower shop to make the arrangement. 

Kagami hadn’t seen anything like this outside of the stupid k-dramas Adrien made her watch. (She silently apologized to all the protagonists she’d made fun of. Her heart was fluttering. Should she go to the doctor?) 

“W… what is this?” Kagami asked, totally blindsighted. 

Ladybug coughed awkwardly. 

“Um… well,” she laughed, noticeably higher than she usually did, “You were just.. Always giving me flowers and I thought it was so nice, so I thought you might like some in return. It’s probably dumb though! I’m sorry, I was-” 

“It’s not,” Kagami said, nodding shortly at Ladybug. “It’s not dumb. Thank you.” 

“Oh,” Ladybug said softly, “Thank you.” 

Kagami strode forwards and studied the flowers critically. 

“What are you doing?” Ladybug asked. 

“Trying to figure out how to pick it up,” Kagami said, “I want to keep it in my room.” 

Ladybug giggled. 

“You don’t have to do that.” 

“I want to,” Kagami said, wrapping one arm under the base and holding the other side to steady it. Pushing with her legs, she picked it up- 

And toppled over. 

“Oof,” Kagami said, the air rushing from her lungs as her back hit not-the-ground. 

Not the ground indeed. 

Ladybug’s unfairly strong arms wrapped around Kagami, her chest shaking with laughter. 

“Let me help you with that,” she said, pressing a kiss to the side of Kagami’s head. Seeming to realize what she did a second after it happened, she let out a squeak. 

Kagami felt her own cheeks warm to match Ladybug’s. 

“Thank you,” she said quietly. 

“Adrien,” Kagami said very seriously, turning to him, “I have something I would like to talk to you about.” 

“O-okay,” Adrien said, putting down his video game counsel to mirror her, legs crossed and facing each other on his sofa. “Is everything okay?” 

“Maybe,” Kagami said, and then scrunched her face up, “I don’t want to hurt your feelings.” 

Adrien leaned forwards, then leaned back, looking (adorably) confused. 

“You don’t… have to?” he said. “I mean, don’t worry about that, actually. What do you want to talk about?” 

Kagami took a fortifying breath. 

“I think I’m in love with Ladybug,” she said, “And I apologize, because I know the two of us are… somewhat involved.” She thought for a second. “Pre-involved.” 

Adrien tilted his head and then laughed. 

“No need to make fun of me,” Kagami said, feeling off-kilter. She hadn’t been expecting him to _laugh_. 

“No, no,” he said, “I’m not. Me too.” 

“What?” 

“I’m in love with Ladybug too,” he said, “Well. Sort of. It’s complicated. I’m trying to move on, I think.” 

“Oh,” Kagami said faintly, blinking four times rather fast, and then settling into this new information. “Oh I see. So we’re rivals, then.” 

“Uh,” he looked stricken, “I guess. I guess so.” 

“Well.” She held her hand out to shake. He took it. 

He had a firm grip. 

“Well,” he repeated, and then neither of them spoke for several moments, still shaking hands. 

Finally, Adrien picked back up his counsel and resumed the game, and Kagami picked up her book from where she had left it, bookmark perfectly snug against the spine and red-side-up, and opened it. 

She leaned her head against his shoulder as she had been before. 

“What does being rivals entail?” Adrien asked, attention seemingly completely taken by the videogame. Still, Kagami noticed he botched a few hits he usually performed easily. 

“What do you mean?” she asked, 

“Do we have to like… compete?” 

Kagami thought about this. 

“Not necessarily,” she said, “I suppose we can have… an understanding.” 

“An understanding?” Adrien asked. 

“May the best man win. You know. We’re in love with the same girl but… we can still be friends.” 

“Friends.” Adrien smiled. “Good.” 

Kagami settled into his side more firmly and resumed reading. 

“Here,” Chat Noir said. 

Ryuko stammered rather intelligibly. “I- what- eu- you can’t-” 

Chat tilted his head, curious. 

“What are you talking about?” 

He looked down at the flower crown he was holding. 

“Do you not like it?” he asked then, looking rather sad. 

“No!” Ryuko yelled, quite a bit louder than she had intended to be. “No,” she said again, quieter, “It’s just so… so _romantic_?” 

Chat Noir stared down at the crown, uncomprehending. Slowly, his face turned red. 

Ladybug giggled. 

“Oh, come on,” she said, rolling her eyes, “He doesn’t mean anything of it. He gives me flowers all the time.” 

“ _You_ give her flowers?” Ryuko cried, “That’s _my_ thing!” 

“ _Your_ thing?” he yelped, affronted, “That can’t be your thing! _I’m_ the one who’s in love with her!” 

“You’re _what?!_ ” Ladybug asked, voice shrill. 

“You’re not the only one!” Ryuko said, “Get in line!” 

“ _You’re what?!”_

Chat Noir gasped in the most outrageously offended way, resembling a genuine cat puffing up in indignance. 

“I saw her first!” 

“She’s not a _prize_ or a _shotgun seat_ to call dibs on!” 

“Well! She’s my partner!” 

“She doesn’t even know your real name!” 

“You don’t know her’s!” 

“Neither do you!” 

“SHUT UP,” Ladybug yelled, face red. “Can someone explain to me what is going on right now? You guys aren’t… You guys aren't- I mean, you-” 

Which, of course, was when the akuma attacked. 

A D R I E N 

Kagami was waiting for Adrien when school let out. 

At least, Adrien _thought_ Kagami was waiting for him. And she was, sort of. He didn’t expect her to snag Marinette too. 

“Come with us,” she said in the awkward, imposing way she did most things, grabbing Marinette’s hand as she strode down the sidewalk towards the park. 

“I- okay,” Marinette said, clearly as baffled by this turn of events as Adrien was. 

Kagami led the two of them to a picnic table. 

“You two are my only friends,” she started, shifting awkwardly on the bench, “And so I’d like to ask you some advice.” 

_Only friends?_ Marinette mouthed to Adrien, looking sad. Adrien shrugged and turned back to Kagami. 

“What with?” 

Kagami blushed. 

“I have… feelings. For a girl. I would like to know how to pursue her. Or, ah… make her like me.” 

“Oh,” Marinette said, “Who?” 

“Aren’t we rivals?” Adrien asked, “Am I supposed to give you advice?” 

“We are honorable rivals,” Kagami said to Adrien, “So we are allowed to aid one another in the spirit of good sportsmanship.” And then to Marinette, she said, “The girl is Ladybug.” 

“You’re in love with Ladybug?” Marinette asked, face carefully blank, and then to Adrien, “Wait, _you’re_ in love with Ladybug?” 

“We’ve already covered that,” Kagami said, and Adrien nodded. 

“Oh,” Marinette said, looking faint. 

“You seem distressed,” Kagami noted, “You aren’t also in love with her, right? That’s too many rivals.” 

“N-no,” Marinette said.”I’m not… in love with Ladybug.” 

“Good,” Kagami said. 

“What have you been doing so far?” Adrien asked. 

“Flowers,” Kagami said, pulling out a notebook, “But I have a whole bunch of ideas.” 

“I-it sounds like you don’t really need our help then,” Marinette said. 

“Your feedback is invaluable to me,” Kagami said, “I can’t possibly do all of these.” 

She flipped the five or so pages of ideas back and forth, looking at Adrien and Marinette with something resemblant of puppy dog eyes. If puppy dogs looked like they regularly kicked your butt in fencing and knew it. 

“I… sure,” Marinette said, sounding somewhat resigned. Adrien looked questioningly towards her. She was usually so enthusiastic to help. 

“First off,” Kagami said, “We have buying her a car. I saw that in a movie.” 

“Don’t do that one,” Adrien said, “Nino told me people don’t buy each other cars. It isn’t done.” 

“Why not?” Kagami asked. He shrugged, and the two of them looked at Marinette. 

“I-I don’t know,” she said, and growing rather flustered, continued with, “Maybe you should just… uh, compliment her. Show her that you hare. Care. Show her that you care, a-and maybe. Um. Maybe you could flirt with her?” 

“How do you do that?” Kagami asked, taking notes. 

“Puns,” Adrien offered. 

“No,” Marinette shot down immediately, to Adrien’s disappointment. “Just… you know…” 

She gestured vaguely. 

“What does that mean?” Kagami whispered to Adrien. 

“Look, I don’t know,” Marinette blushed, “I’ve never been all that good with… f-flirting.” She coughed awkwardly. “And people haven’t really flirted with me. Just… be nice to her.” 

“Am I not nice?” Kagami asked. 

“That’s not what I meant!” Marinette said, “No, no, you’re nice. Just. You know. Eye contact. And um… play with your hair. And wear red.” 

“Oh, I read that wikihow article too,” Adrien said, causing Marinette to turn a shade redder. 

“Eye contact,” Kagami mused thoughtfully. 

“I’m not gonna open my eyes until the two of you stop it,” Ladybug groaned, exasperated, hands over her eyes. 

“We’re not doing anything,” Chat Noir said, staring unblinking at her. 

“Yes, you are,” Ladybug grumbled, sitting down on the tiled roof, “Stop… _looking_ at me like that.” 

Chat Noir smiled. Romance novel characters said that all the time. His plan was working. 

He glared at Ryuko, who was a foot away from Ladybug and peering at her owlishly. His plan, which had somehow been _stolen_. 

“Ladybug,” Ryuko said slowly, “On a scale from 1-10, how interested are you in me romantically at the moment?” 

“We’re supposed to be doing _patrol_ ,” Ladybug complained, “And actually doing our job. Can you two please quit it?” 

Ryuko backed off and looked sheepish. 

“Sorry,” she said. Chat rubbed the back of his neck. 

Ladybug uncovered her eyes and looked at the two of them, both rather chastised. She rolled her eyes and giggled, shaking her head. 

“You two are ridiculous,” she said. “Race you to the Eiffel Tower!” 

Adrien found a book in the library. Technically, he had a strict reading regime. He was predicted to finish reading his 20th classic novel of that year in two weeks. But he’d seen in movies that people hid magazines in textbooks, so he did this with the book he found in the library. 

He wasn’t sure why he decided to check out that particular book. The subtitle had been something about romance and he was determined to up his game now that Ryuko _and_ Kagami were in the running. 

As soon as he finished it, he called up Kagami. 

“We don’t _have_ to be rivals,” Adrien said. 

“What are you talking about?” Kagami asked, “Are you giving up?” 

“No, no, no,” Adrien said, “I’m just a genius. I read a book.” 

“You’ve never read a book before?” (And Adrien would be peeved if she didn’t sound genuinely confused.) 

“Look, polyamory,” Adrien said, “It’s like… a thruple.” 

“That word sounds gross,” Kagami said, “Is the meaning as gross as the word sounds?” 

“No,” Adrien said, “Look it’s like… a three-person-couple. A thruple. Ladybug can date _both_ of us!” 

“You mean like… how in _Taitoru O Hyōji_ , Ren, Ayumu, and Misaki share a powerful love connection that can withstand time itself?” 

“I haven’t seen that anime,” Adrien said, “But yes.” 

“It’s on Crunchyroll, we can watch it together on Sunday,” Kagami mentioned. 

“Sweet. Anyway, we can do that! Be three people in a couple. Or… a thruple.” 

“I agree to this only if you stop using the word thruple,” Kagami said after a moment of contemplation. 

Adrien felt a grin break over his face. “Great. Great.” 

“We should leave flowers on the Eiffel Tower for her, so no one else can find it.” 

“I know a great florist,” Adrien said thoughtfully, forgetting to wonder how she planned to get the flowers up there in the first place. 

Adrien was going to break out into hives. Or something. Maybe he’d drop dead on the spot. He sure felt like he was about to go into cardiac arrest. 

“Chaton?” Ladybug asked, “Are you okay?” 

“You got me flowers,” he said, voice cracking over the last word. 

“Y-yeah,” Ladybug said, “Is that okay? There was… a sale.” 

“Yes, that’s okay,” he said, carefully accepting the bouquet of daisies. He buried his face in them. “Thank you.” He smiled, and he was sure he must look a little weird, deducing from the fact that his cheeks hurt and his eyes were probably all crinkled, but he really didn’t care. His lady had given him _flowers._

“Y-you’re welcome,” Ladybug said, turning red. 

“Is there a reason?” he asked, “For the flowers?” 

“You deserve nice things,” Ladybug said, suddenly looking like she was ready to fight him if he argued. 

He plucked a single flower and tucked it behind her ear. 

“There’s totally a book I should lend you.” 

Adrien and Marinette were partnered up for a history assignment. 

“Ideas?” Adrien asked, tilting his chair back just far enough that he _probably_ wouldn’t fall, pencil poised over a notepad. 

“Maybe we could do, um,” she said, then paused to think and scrunched up her face adorably, “Aqueducts?” 

“A-kwa-ducks,” Adrien said slowly, sounding it out as he wrote it down. 

“That’s kind of boring, though,” Marinette said. 

“I wouldn’t mind doing it if you wanted to,” he said, peering at her over the note pad to smile at her. 

She dazed off for a second, spacing off as she stared at his face. 

“U-uh, I mean,” she said, suddenly blushing and turning towards the desk so fast she knocked over her water bottle with her elbow, “I don’t really haunt- _want-_ I don’t really _want_ to do aqueducts. It was just the first… thing I thought off.” 

“Okay,” Adrien said, “How about… flowers?” 

“Flowers?” Marinette asked, cheeks still mysteriously red and eyes laser-focused on the grain of the wood in front of her. 

“Yeah like… the language of flowers in history,” Adrien said, “Like how daisies mean innocence and purity and all that stuff. That’s because they were some goddess’s flower symbol I think.” 

“Really?” Marinette asked, finally turning back towards him. 

“Yeah,” he said, “I looked it up.” 

“That could be, um, cool,” Marinette said. 

“Do you like flowers, Marinette?” he asked, and somehow he wasn’t really sure what he was _actually_ asking. 

“Um… yes?” Marinette timidly answered. 

The next day, a bouquet of tulips showed up on her desk. Adrien very carefully did _not_ research what they meant before he bought them. It made it easier to pretend he didn’t absolutely know what he was trying to say. 

“Some things have come to my attention,” Adrien said the next time he and Kagami hung out. 

She tilted her head to signify he should continue. 

“Right,” he took a deep breath, “We can date each other. Too. In our thr- uh, I mean, our… couple for three. We can date each other too.” 

Kagami looked thoughtful. 

“Do you _want_ to date me?” she asked. 

“Um,” he reined in his nervous giggles, “Uh, yes. I do.” 

Kagami scratched her hands absently through his hair, his head resting in her lap as the cartoony fight scene continued on screen. 

“I guess that could be nice,” she said, allowing a small smile. “I was rather disappointed when I had to break things off when we became rivals.” 

“I think I was too,” Adrien admitted. 

Kagami frowned then. 

“I’m not good at… emotions,” she said, “I know I like you a lot but I’m just not… I don’t know how to. Have them. Emotions.” 

“That’s okay,” Adrien said softly, reaching up awkwardly next to his head to pat her knee, “We can figure it out together.” 

Kagami’s frown smoothed out, and then her face was very close to Adrien’s. Very, very close. 

“We never kissed, before,” she observed. 

It turned out that they _did_ kiss, after. Adrien didn’t remember how the movie ended. 

A L Y A (interlude) 

Alya was worried. 

“Marinette,” she said, a little desperately, “You can’t _honestly_ be trying to convince me you aren’t bothered that Kagami and Adrien are dating now.” 

“Uh,” Marinette chewed on her lip absently as she flipped the page of the fashion magazine, “I don’t know, Alya. It’s fine.” 

“You can’t expect me to believe you feel oh-so-neutrally about it,” Alya said, “You _can’t_ expect me to believe you’re _over Adrien_ when just yesterday you basically waxed poetic about his eyes.” 

“I’m not,” Marinette said, most of her attention very clearly on Vogue’s new jacket line, “I can have a crush on him and be happy for him and his girlfriend at the same time.” 

Alya didn’t say anything, just squinted. 

“Suuuuuuuure,” she finally drawled, taking a pointed bite from her sandwich. Lunch was almost over, but she was getting to the bottom of this. 

“Look,” Alya said, “Adrien posted about Kagami on his Instagram.” 

Marinette took the phone from Alya. 

“Awww,” and Alya thought, _victory,_ but then, “They’re so cute!” 

“You’re kidding me,” Alya snatched the phone back and scrolled through the slides. There was one of them holding hands and two of them sharing ice cream. “You’re not even a little jealous?” 

“Nope,” Marinette said, popping the _p_. 

“ _Really?”_ Alya asked, incredulous. 

“It’s really not that big of a deal Alya!” 

“So just like that?” Alya asked, raising her eyebrow, “You’re just… giving up on your crush? You’ve been crazy about Adrien for _ages!_ ” 

“I didn’t say I was giving up,” Marinette said, “I just… don’t mind that they’re dating.” 

“How do you _not mind_?!” Alya asked, scrolling through Adrien’s Instagram. “He’s clearly serious about her!” 

“Yeah, I know,” Marinette said, “Look, are we gonna work on the math homework or not?” 

Alya gaped after her. 

“What are you reading?” Alya asked, dumping her bag on the floor as she swung into her seat. 

Marinette held the book up without comment so that Alya could read the cover. 

“The Modern Romantic, How to communicate and form healthy relationships,” Alya read aloud. “Hm. That looks like something my mom would read.” 

“It’s actually really interesting,” Marinnet said, “A friend lent it to me.” 

Alya’s eyebrows crept up to her hairline. 

“A _friend_ lent you a book about _forming healthy romantic relationships_?”Alya asked. 

Marinette blushed and buried her face in the book. 

“Shut up,” she mumbled. 

“Alya,” Marinette said, “I’m gonna need you to wear this.” 

“Why?” Alya asked, taking the blazer from her. 

“Because this is a business meeting.” 

Alya, thoroughly confused, put on the blazer. 

“Good, good,” Marinette said, clearing her throat and slamming a giant binder on the table between them. “I’m going to need you to talk me out of a spectacularly bad idea.” 

“Story of my life,” Alya said, snorting, “What idea of yours is so bad you need a business meeting?” 

Marinette flipped to the first laminated page. 

“Polyamory,” she said, in the very same voice she uses when doing school presentations, “Is when people consent to a non monogamous relationship.” 

“Yes, I’m aware” Alya said slowly, “I wasn’t born yesterday, girl.” 

“One type of polyamory is,” Marinette continued, flipping the page and ignoring Alya, “The Thruple.” 

“I’ve been on the internet before,” Alya said, “You don’t have to spell this out for me.” 

“Person A has a crush on Person B,” Marinette continued in her school presentation voice, “But Person B is in a relationship with Person C. Person C has openly admitted to having a crush on Person A. Person B’s feelings on the matter are.. unclear. What should Person A do?” 

Alya stared down at the chart before her uncomprehending for a moment. When it came to her, she looked up at Marinette so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. 

“Kagami has a crush on you?!” she asked, jabbing the red square that represented Person C rather violently. Marinette’s following blush was answer enough. 

“Oh my god,” Alya said, and then let out a laugh, “Oh my god! Of course she does. You’re too cute to resist.” 

“Shut up,” Marinette said, slamming the binder shut. “What should I _do?_ ” 

“Well…” Alya scratched the side of her jaw as she thought, “I mean, do _you_ like Kagami?” 

“I-” Marinette made a choking noise. “...uh. Yes. Maybe… yes” 

“Well then I guess just ask?” Alya said. “I mean, what do you have to lose? Just tell them how you feel! Kagami and Adrien love you, even if it’s just as friends, so it’s not like it’ll ruin the friendship forever or anything.” 

“Alya!” Marinette shrieked, “Don’t _say_ that! Because now I’m thinking about it, and _what if I ruin the friendship forever?”_

“I just said that there’s no way that’ll happen,” Alya said, rolling her eyes, “Even if they don’t want to, uh, thruple it up with you, they’re not gonna be mean about it. They’ll totally be chill, I promise!” 

Marinette smushed the heels of her palm into her cheeks, smoshing her face and looking torn. 

“You were supposed to talk me _out_ of this,” she mumbled mournfully. 

Alya just laughed at her. 

“Okay, but according to this website,” Marinette said, “Lilies mean pure love, but don’t they also mean death?” 

“Stop freaking out, girl,” Alya said, plucking a brightly colored sunflower from a giant bucket, “They’re just flowers.” 

“No, they’re not ‘just flowers,’” Marinette groaned, “They’re, like, important. I’m confessing my l- my… interest in a relationship. They need to be _perfect_.” 

“Okay, but consider this,” Alya said, “If _you_ don’t know what flowers mean without extensive, confusing, googling, do you think anybody else will?” 

“They’re _rich_ , Alya!” Marinette said, “They probably know all about this sort of thing!” 

Alya let out a frustrated puff of breath. 

“Look, I get it,” she said, “You’re a details kind of person. But you need to relax! I’m sure they’ll love anything you get them.” 

Marinette sighed, fiddling with a bundle of carnations. “I know. But I just… I want it to be _special_.” 

Alya rolled her eyes, but she was sure the fond smile she wore ruined the effect. 

“Okay, okay, I’ll help you pick out the perfect bouquet or whatever,” Alya said, “What about roses?” 

“Too cliche,” Marinette said, shutting that idea down immediately. 

“They’re only cliche because people like them!” Alya countered. Marinette looked thoughtful. 

Thirty minutes and several rounds around the shop later, they had finally come up with an arrangement that Marinette deemed _acceptable_. 

“Will this be all?” the cashier asked, smiling at them kindly. 

“Uh, yes, that’s-” Marinette said, and then the screaming started. Marinette blanched. 

“Akuma,” she said. 

Alya squinted, and peered out of the glass front of the shop. 

“Uh, yeah,” she said, “Looks like it.” 

Marinette looked regretfully to the flowers, and then stammered out, “I need to go check on, uh, my parents!” 

“Wait, Mari, don’t-” 

But Marinette was gone, the only sign of her being the door jingling as it swung shut. 

Alya sighed and turned back to the cashier. 

“I guess I’m paying then,” she said, fishing out her wallet. 

M A R I N E T T E 

Ladybug, Chat, Ryuko, and Carapace were trapped in a box. It sounded like the beginning of some sort of themed riddle that you’d find in the back of the newspapers that Marinette’s dad read. 

But no. 

Ladybug pressed her back to the chill metal and slid, slowly, to the ground. 

“Plan, anyone?” she asked from the floor, staring at the ceiling as though it might give her an answer. 

She was supposed to be confessing to her crushes right now. _Hawkmoth sure knows how to time things,_ she thought to herself ruefully. 

“Uh,” Chat knocked his fist against the wall, “Seems pretty solid to me.” 

“I don’t see any seams,” Ryuko mentioned, “So no hidden doorways, most likely.” 

Carapace winced. 

“Maybe if I blast at it with my shield?” 

“I mean,” Ladybug sighed, chewing on her lip, “You could _try_ , but I don’t think it’s gonna work, and I’d rather we minimize the amount of people about to detransform.” 

Chat twitched as everyone turned to look at him. 

“I’ve got three minutes now,” he updated them, bouncing his leg anxiously. 

“That’s,” Ladybug pressed her eyes with her hands, “ _Fine._ It’s fine. We’ll just have to figure our way out of here in the next… two minutes. And then you’ll have a minute to hide.” 

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Ryuko said. 

Ladybug heaved herself up and started to examine the corners. 

“What are you looking for?” Carapace asked. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “But better safe than sorry.” 

“Two minutes,” Chat chimed in. 

“Okay,” she said, “Okay here’s what we’re gonna do. Chaton, do you have food for your kwami?” 

“Uh, yes,” he answered. 

“Good, good,” Ladybug said, “Okay, everyone turn around, and close your eyes. You can detransform, feed your kwami, and then _re_ transform. Problem solved.” 

“We still don’t have a way out,” Ryuko said as they all turned to a corner and followed Ladybug’s instructions. 

“I left Chloe with her miraculous,” Ladybug said, “Because I didn’t have time to get it back last Sunday. So I guess we can only hope she figures something out.” 

They stood there in awkward silence, until the tell-tale glitzy sound of a detransformation could be heard. 

“Jeez, Adrien, you’re working me to the bone out there-” the tinny voice Ladybug recognized as Plagg’s said, and then, “Oh. Ah. I see we have company.” 

Ladybug sucked in a breath. 

_Adrien?_

No, surely there were tons of other Adriens in Paris. 

But… 

“Adrien?!” Carapace said, sounding positively shocked. 

“I told you not to look!” Ladybug scolded, trying her very best to ignore her own burning curiosity. 

“Sorry,” Carapace said, not sounding sorry at all. “Adrien, dude! I can’t believe _you’re_ Chat Noir!” 

Chat made a confused noise. 

“Do we know each other?” he asked. 

“Yeah, dude, it’s me, Nino!” 

“ _NINO!”_ Ladybug yelled, “Rule number one! _What is rule number one?!”_

“Oh!” Ryuko said, “Adrien!” 

Ladybug groaned, turning around with her eyes still stubbornly closed. 

“Plagg,” she said, “I’m gonna… I’m gonna skin you alive!” 

“It was an accident!” he said. 

“Ladybug…” Chat said, sounding nervous, “I’m so sorry.” 

“No,” she sighed, “It’s not your fault. 

“You can uh,” Chat paused, and then took a deep breath, as if preparing himself, “You can open your eyes, if you want.” 

Ladybug grimaced. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” 

Adrien was Chat Noir. 

_Adrien Agreste_ was _Chat Noir._

She had known it. Logically, what _other_ Adrien did Nino know? 

But it was one thing to know it and another to see with her own eyes, Plagg hovering around the head of her crush. 

Her _crush._

“Oh my god,” she whispered, “I have a crush on Chat Noir.” 

“What was that?” Adrien asked, voice shrill. 

“You lent me a book on polyamory!” she said, ignoring him, “Oh my god! You’re _Adrien Agreste!_ ” 

“We’ve been over that!” he said, voice still unnaturally high-pitched. “You have a _crush on me?_ ”

Ladybug started laughing. 

“My chart was so inaccurate!” she said. 

“ _What chart?!_ ” 

The box started to rumble. 

Ladybug shook herself. 

“We’ll talk about this later,” she said, attempting to return to serious leader mode. “Adr- Chat, I mean, transform.” 

He blinked at her for a second, shocked, and then complied. And in the nick of time. Just as the last of the magic sparkles were settling, the metal box popped out of existence. 

Queen Bee stood, a wicked grin on her face, and the akuma’s giant blaster resting on her shoulder. 

“You guys are missing the party,” she said, winking. 

“GIVE THAT BACK!” the akuma screeched from out of view. 

“Let’s get to it then,” Ladybug said, allowing one more quick look to Chat before she unclasped her yoyo and launched herself in the direction of the villain. 

Marinette tapped her fingers against the desk at a rapid pace, nervous. 

After the fight, she had had to run off before anyone could talk about anything. That had been yesterday. Now it was the first class of the day. Adrien hadn’t arrived yet, but Marinette was sure she’d find a way to make a complete fool of herself when he did show. Not that she didn’t usually, but now she held the oh-so-nerve wracking piece of information that he was Chat Noir. 

“Are you okay?” Alya asked, “You look like you’re about to explode.” 

“I’ll get back to you about that,” Marinette said. “I _feel_ like I’m about to explode.” 

“Can I ask why?” 

Marinette shook her head. 

“Alright,” Alya said, a little suspicious. She cleared her throat and leaned closer to add, in a whisper, “I paid for the bouquet. I’ve got it at home. We can pick it up during lunch?” 

Marinette startled. 

Right. 

Somehow, she had forgotten about her plan to confess to Kagami and Adrien. So. Add that to the list of things that were stressing her out. 

She managed a shaky nod for Alya, and was about to say something when Adrien walked in. 

Hiding behind her hair, she avoided eye contact. 

“Adrien!” Nino said, “How… are you… after… yesterday?” He winked. 

Marinette tried not to giggle. Nino could not make it _more_ obvious that something was up if he tried. 

“Good!” Adrien said, looking for all intents and purposes like an overenthusiastic puppy, “I am very good!” 

He sat down and shared a secret smile with Nino. 

Alya suspiciously looked between them, but didn’t say anything. 

“Okay, everyone!” Miss Bustier said, and Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as class started. She hadn’t made a fool out of herself. Yet. 

Marinette was left with a real predicament. One she contemplated instead of doing her math work. 

Fact one: She had a crush on Adrien and Kagami. 

Fact two: They had a crush… on Ladybug. 

Fact three: she knew their identities but they did not know hers. 

Fact four, irrelevant but also kind of weird: Didn’t Chat think that Ladybug was like… hundreds of years old? 

Marinette mulled this over. She saw three plans of action. 

Plan one: Take her chances as Marinette. Unguaranteed success. 

Plan two: Take her chances as Ladybug. Guaranteed success. 

Plan three, and the infinitely scariest plan of them all: Tell them her identity and ask them out. Guaranteed success, but at a major, _major_ cost. 

The easiest plan was, of course, number two. But love wasn’t about being _easy_. It was about… 

Well. Marinette didn’t know what love was about, entirely. She’d never really _been_ in love, not properly. But her crush was… getting there. For sure. 

Something about being in almost-love makes you want to take risks. 

Gaze flitting up to where Adrien sat in front of her, Marinette scrunched her eyebrows, thinking. 

This was a risk. Were they worth it? 

_Yes._

The answer came to her shockingly quick. 

But just because she was filled with hormones and a massive romantic didn’t mean she was an idiot. She was gonna plan this out. 

Flipping her notebook to a fresh page and altogether ignoring the algebra textbook beside her, she got to work. 

Step one of her plan was easily achieved. Technically. 

Emotionally, it was harder than lifting a bus. Which Marinette had done before. So, logically, she could do this(?). 

“Hi,” Marinette said, and then immediately wanted the floor to swallow her. 

“Hi, Marinette!” Adrien said, smiling up at her from the bench he was sitting on with Kagami. They were holding hands and Marinette was trying to not get distracted by how cute they were. 

“F-for you,” she stuttered, shoving the bouquet she had paid Alya back for in their general direction. 

“What is this?” Kagami asked, sniffing it. 

“It’s um.” Marinette felt like her face was melting. She must be blushing so embarrassingly hard. “It’s cause I, uh. Like. You. B-both of… you.” 

“Ma-” Adrien started to say, but before he could finish, or even really start, his sentence, Marinette was a block away and in a full sprint. 

So. Step one went… it went. Not _well_ , but it went. 

Step two was easier by a long shot. She was in the mask, which meant instant confidence boost, and she didn’t have to mention her feelings at all. 

“I want to tell you guys my identity,” she mentioned offhandedly as they all sat on the roof, about to start patrol. The miraculous holders, other than Ladybug and Chat, were on a rotation for patrol, and today was Ryuko’s day. It was Saturday, which meant she hadn’t seen Adrien and Kagami since she had done a hit-and-run on them yesterday. 

Chat almost fell off the roof, and Ryuko scooted closer, stars in her eyes. They both looked at her expectantly. 

“No, not _now_ ,” Ladybug said, “I’m just letting you know. That, uh. That you _will_ know, eventually. Soon.” 

“How soon?” Ryuko asked, head tilted adorably. 

“That’s up to me,” Ladybug said, a little mysteriously, and then hopped to her feet. “Shall we?” 

They went off into the night, keeping Paris safe. Ladybug tried to suppress the smirk that was trying to make its way onto her face. She was totally crushing this. 

She was not totally crushing this. 

In her planning stage she had somehow managed to overlook figuring out who to tell _first._

“Okay,” Marinette said, partially thinking out loud and partially talking to Tikki, “Well, Adrien’s known me longer, so maybe I should tell him first? But Kagami is less likely to tell Adrien as soon as she finds out.” 

“You can’t just tell them both at the same time?” Tikki asked, flitting around her head. 

“No,” Marinette said, collapsing back into her bed, “Because the only time the two of them are together is during dates, and I don’t want to interrupt those, or during superhero business, and I really don’t want to do this all… out in the open.” 

“That’s true,” Tikki hummed thoughtfully. “But… what if you just invited them both over to your house?” 

“Tikki, what did I do to deserve you?” Marinette said. “I’m an idiot! I can just _invite them over_!” 

Tikki giggled. 

Step three began with a text. 

_Hey! Do you guys want to come over tomorrow?_

The sending of the text was preluded by a generous amount of freaking out, but it was sent nonetheless. 

_Yes,_ was Kagami’s short reply, followed by Adrien’s _Yeah, of course Marinette! :)_

So of course Marinette spent four hours deep cleaning her room. Upon waking up, she spent two more hours picking out what to wear. 

They were arriving at noon. For lunch. So that left her an extra hour to freak out about what was for lunch. 

“I promise it’ll be ready!” Sabine assured her daughter, obviously amused, for the tenth time, “And yes, I promise to leave you three alone.” 

Before Marinette could reply, there was a knock on the door. 

“I’ll get it!” she yelled, even though she and her mother were the only two people in the house above the bakery. 

She flung open the door, revealing Adrien, holding Kagami’s hand, and Kagami, holding a small bunch of peonies.

“O-oh,” she said, “Are these for me?” 

Kagami nodded and smiled a little. Marinette’s knees felt weak. 

She took the flowers and turned to find a vase, gesturing them in. 

Adrien closed the door behind them, and they both took their shoes off before following her to the kitchen. 

“There’s soup and sandwiches on the table,” Sabine said, passing by them on her way out, “I’ll be in the bakery.” 

Marinette watched them sit down at the table as she filled the vase with water, and then stuck the flowers in it. 

“So, you like us,” Kagami said, cutting right to the chase, “Romantically.” 

Marinette squeaked and almost knocked the vase over. Steadying it, partly because it was expensive and partly to avoid eye contact, she whispered, “Yes.” 

She was going to pass out, probably. She kind of wished she would, if only to put off this conversation. 

_No!_ she steeled herself, _Be brave!_

Taking a deep breath, she turned around. 

“Yes,” she said again, louder. 

Adrien was smiling so wide it looked like his face would split in two, and Kagami’s cheeks were faintly pink. 

“Also,” she said, before they could reply, “Uh, I’m… well, how about I just…” 

She made eye contact with Tikki, who was hiding behind the cookie jar. Tikki nodded at her. 

“Tikki, Spots On!” 

The silence was deafening. 

“Um.” Ladybug felt like she was gonna sweat through her costume. “Surprise?” 

“Oh my god!” Adrien said, hurtling out of his chair. “Oh my god!” 

“Is it _that_ bad?” she asked, and she meant it to come out as a joke but her voice wavered dangerously.

“No,” Kagami said, enormous grin on her face, “It’s not bad at all.” 

“Cool,” Ladybug breathed out, and then let her transformation go. Tikki winked and flew off. 

Adrien started walking towards her first, but Kagami was soon to follow, and the two had her crowded against the counter before she could blink. They both looked so incredibly _happy_. Marinette figured she probably looked about the same. 

“I’m Ryuko,” Kagami mentioned, “Since we’re getting it all out there.” 

Adrien’s smile grew impossibly wider. 

“Oh,” he said, “ _Oh._ ” 

“So,” Marinette breathed, “What happens now?” 

Kagami looked at Adrien, and then at Marinette. 

“Can we kiss you?” 

Marinette made a noise as all the air left her lungs. 

“ _Yes,_ ” she said, “Yes yes yes.” 

Kissing Adrien was like kissing sunshine. Warm lips, a tentative hand hovering near her waist, his lips curled into a smile. 

Kissing Kagami was a rollercoaster. She started out fierce, crushing her lips against Marinette’s, but slowly softened, humming. 

Marinette felt like she could kiss them forever. 

“Wow,” she said as soon as her lips were free, and then threw her arms around them to pull them into a hug. 

E P I L O G U E 

It became a tradition, and a code, and an inside joke all in one. 

Sunflowers for every anniversary. One month, six months, a year. 

_Get me flowers?_ Adrien texted, and his girlfriends knew it was gonna be a rough day. 

“Roses? You shouldn’t have,” Ladybug laughed on the random Tuesdays that Ryuko bought them for her. 

And Kagami wore aster flowers in her hair the day she proposed, many, many years later. 

And they were unimaginably happy. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Comments welcome!  
> Also, there was one flower meaning that is kind of relevant. One of the meaning of sunflowers, according to my very brief googling, is longevity. I just thought that was cute.  
> I've been kind of on an adrigaminette kick lately... the next fic I have planned is Kagami-centric so... stick around if you want to see that?


End file.
